Tech giant Apple turns green

CEO Tim Cook says his company is committed to doing its part to combat climate change.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says his company is committed to doing its part for a cleaner environment. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

April 10 (UPI) -- U.S. tech giant Apple said it was setting a high bar by announcing all of its global facilities are using low-carbon options for all of their needs.

Apple said it was committed to a cleaner environment and the fight against climate change, adding all of its facilities are now powered with 100 percent clean energy.

"This achievement includes retail stores, offices, data centers and co-located facilities in 43 countries - including the United States, the United Kingdom, China and India," the company stated. "The company also announced nine additional manufacturing partners have committed to power all of their Apple production with 100 percent clean energy, bringing the total number of supplier commitments to 23."

Apple Inc. advanced its renewable energy footprint in tech-heavy North Carolina, pioneered by a solar-powered data center in 2013. The Solar Energy Industries Association said retailers from Verizon to IKEA have combined to provide one of the most solar-centric technology sectors in the country.

Two years ago, Microsoft joined a growing list of U.S. companies tapping into a growing renewable energy market. Michigan automaker General Motors in late 2016 set a goal of getting all of its power across its entire global sector of operations from renewable energy by 2050.

Amazon Web Services, the technology infrastructure division of retailer Amazon, contracted Iberdrola Renewables to help build and operate a 208 megawatt wind farm in North Carolina and committed itself to getting 100 percent of its electricity needs from renewable resources.

"We're committed to leaving the world better than we found it," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.

Over the last seven years, Apple, through its renewable energy projects, cut total emissions of greenhouse gas by 54 percent. The company has 25 renewable energy projects in its books already and 15 more in the construction stage.

Apple has corporate headquarters in California. California Gov. Jerry Brown has helped lead his state to a national leadership position in renewable energy, most recently by countering President Donald Trump's push for more offshore drilling with mandates of opposition.